LA Times Crossword Answers 6 Dec 15, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: Second Shift … today’s themed answers are common phrases with some letters swapped around. The SECOND letter of a word in each phrase is SHIFTED to the third place in the same word:

23A. Gust that rattles the blinds? SLAT SHAKER (from “salt shaker”)
25A. Humor among buddies? CRONY JOKES (from “corny jokes”)
44A. Where mixologists learn the ropes? TRAINING BAR (from “training bra”)
55A. Commonplace ballet technique? STOCK PLIE (from “stock pile”)
76A. Holiday season store statistic? WRAP SPEED (from “warp speed”)
84A. Buzzers that can’t be seen? HIDDEN FLIES (from “hidden files”)
108A. Ordinary dolt? COMMON CLOD (from “common cold”)
110A. Termite? WOOD CRAVER (from “woodcarver”)
37D. Tools for removing reputation stains? BLOT CUTTERS (from “bolt cutters”)
40D. Complaint department? CRAB COUNTER (from “carb counter”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 14m 09s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. “SOS” group ABBA
I am an unapologetic fan of ABBA’s music. ABBA was of course the Swedish group who topped the charts in the seventies and eighties. The name ABBA is an acronym formed from the first letters of the given names of each of the band members, namely: Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid.

The ABBA song “S.O.S.” was originally titled “Turn Me On”. In the movie “Mama Mia!”, it is performed by Meryl Streep (brilliantly) and by Pierce Brosnan (terribly).

5. Race site for more than 300 years ASCOT
Ascot Racecourse is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and is located in the town of Ascot, Berkshire in England. The course is located just six miles from Windsor Castle, and is often visited by members of the royal family. Royal Ascot is the name given to the most famous race meeting in the year, at which members of the royal family attend each day, arriving in horse-drawn carriages amidst great ceremony.

10. Traffic stoppers? NARCS
“Narc” is a slang term for a law enforcement officer who tracks down criminals associated with illegal drugs.

19. Tradition born under King Kamehameha II LUAU
The Hawaiian party or feast known as a “luau” really dates back to 1819, when King Kamehameha II removed religious laws that governed the eating of meals. These laws called for women and men to eat separately. At the same times as he changed the laws, the king initiated the luau tradition by symbolically eating with the women who moved in his circle.

20. The “It Girl” Bow CLARA
Clara Bow was a fabulous star of silent film, with her most famous movie being “It” from 1927. Clara Bow’s performance was so celebrated in the movie that she was forever to be known as the “It girl”. The term “it” was a euphemism for “sex appeal”, and that is what Clara Bow was known to “exude”. Bow applied her red lipstick in the shape of a heart, and women who copied this style were said to put on a “Clara Bow”.

21. Youngest of three dramatic sisters IRINA
Olga, Masha and Irina were the “Three Sisters” in the play by Anton Chekhov. The three title characters were inspired by the three Brontë sisters, the English authors.

25. Humor among buddies? CRONY JOKES (from “corny jokes”)
A crony is a friend or companion. The term originated as slang in Cambridge University in England in the 1600s. “Crony” is probably derived from the Greek “khronios” meaning “long-lasting”.

29. “Très sexy!” OO LA LA!
“Très” is the French word for “very”.

30. Rich deposit LODE
A lode is a metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure. The “mother lode” is the principal deposit in a mine, usually of gold or silver. “Mother lode” is probably a translation of “veta madre”, an expression used in mining in Mexico.

31. Nouveau-Mexique, e.g. ETAT
In French, New Mexico (Le Nouveau-Mexique) is a state (état).

38. 1983 Indy 500 winner Tom SNEVA
Tom Sneva is a retired race car driver from Spokane, Washington who won the 1983 Indy 500. Before taking up racing as a career, Sneva was a math teacher. He also drove the school bus for a while.

39. Sprint, for one TELECOM
The company that we know today as Sprint has a history that is linked with the Southern Pacific railroad company. Southern Pacific developed a microwave communication system for its internal use across its network using rights-of-way associated with the company’s extensive railway lines. In the early seventies, the company laid huge lengths of fiber optic cable in those rights-of-way, alongside the tracks, primarily for internal use. The railroad sold excess fiber capacity to private companies, allowing those companies to operate long distance telephone service outside of AT&T, which at that time had a long-distance monopoly. Southern Pacific took advantage of changing FCC regulations and started offering voice service directly to consumers. That service was offered under the name SPRINT, an acronym that stood for Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Networking Telephony. Very interesting …

43. Colorado tributary GILA
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado and flows through New Mexico and Arizona. From 1848 to 1853, the Gila marked part of the border between the US and Mexico.

48. Genetic info carrier RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

50. “Rubáiyát” rhyme scheme AABA
Omar Khayyam was a Persian with many talents. He was a poet as well as an important mathematician, astronomer and physician. A selection of his poems were translated by one Edward Fitzgerald in a collection called “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam”. Here are some lines from that collection:

Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse — and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness —
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.

54. Gere title role DR T
The 2000 movie “Dr. T & the Women” is a pretty good film, starring Richard Gere in the title role. There can’t be many romantic comedies about gynecologists …

55. Commonplace ballet technique? STOCK PLIE (from “stock pile”)
The French word for “bent” is “plié”. In the ballet move known as a plié, the knees are bent.

60. NYSE regulator SEC
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was established by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and has primary responsibility for enforcing federal securities law. The first chairman of the SEC was Joe Kennedy, father of future president John F. Kennedy.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

61. Cancellation of a kind STET
“Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.

66. Winner of 82 PGA Tour tournaments SNEAD
Sam Snead was probably the most successful golfer never to win a US Open title, as he won a record 82 PGA Tour events. Snead did win seven majors, but never the US Open. He was also quite the showman. He once hit the scoreboard at Wrigley Field stadium with a golf ball, by teeing off from home plate. Snead’s best-remembered nickname was “Slammin’ Sammy”.

67. Pipe cleaner DRANO
To clean out drains we might buy Crystal Drano which is sodium hydroxide (lye) mixed with sodium nitrate, sodium chloride (table salt) and aluminum. The contents of Drano work in concert to clear the clog. The lye reacts with any fats creating soap which may be enough to break up the clog. Also, the finely-divided aluminum reacts with water creating tremendous heat so that that mixture boils and churns, then any hair or fibers are cut by the sharp edges of the nitrate and chloride crystals. Having said all that, I find that boiling water poured down the drain almost always does the job …

68. Zen enlightenment SATORI
Satori is a Japanese term, used in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Satori does not refer to full enlightenment (nirvana) but rather is a step along the way, a flash of awareness.

Zen is a Buddhist school that developed its own tradition in China back in the 7th century AD. Zen is a Japanese spelling of the Chinese word “chan”, which in turn derives from the Sanskrit word “dhyana” meaning “meditation”.

71. Chiefs coach Andy REID
Andy Reid was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles football team for 13 years before taking up the head coaching position with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013.

72. Short lines at the register? UPC
UPC stands for Universal Price Code or Universal Product Code. The first UPC-marked item to get scanned in a store was on June 26, 1974 at 08:01 a.m. at Marsh’s supermarket in Troy, Ohio. It was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum …

75. Garfield, e.g. PET CAT
“Garfield” is a comic strip drawn by Jim Davis since 1978. Garfield is an orange tabby cat. Davis named his cartoon hero Garfield after his own grandfather.

76. Holiday season store statistic? WRAP SPEED (from “warp speed”)
In the “Star Trek” universe, the warp speed achieved by the warp drive engines is very much like our real-world Mach number. Just as a plane traveling at Mach 1 is moving at the speed of sound, a starship traveling at warp factor 1 is moving at the speed of light. Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound, and warp factor 2 is twice the speed of light. Cool, huh …?

78. PX customer NCO
An NCO is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces. Usually such an officer is one who has earned his or her rank by promotion through the enlisted ranks. A good example would be a sergeant.

A PX is a Post Exchange, a retail store operating on a US Army Base. The equivalent store on an Air Force Base is called a Base Exchange (BX). At a Navy installation it’s a Navy Exchange (NEX), at a Marine Corps installation it’s a Marine Corps Exchange (MCX) and at a Coast Guard Installation it’s a CGX.

79. Start of an attorney’s conclusion I REST …
… my case.

80. Masters gadget TEE
Golf’s Masters Tournament is the first of the four major championships in the annual calendar, taking place in the first week of April each year. It is played at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, and has a number of traditions. One is that the winner is awarded the famous “green jacket”, but he only gets to keep it for a year and must return it to the club after twelve months.

82. D-Day city ST LO
Saint-Lô is a town in Normandy that was occupied by Germany in 1940. Saint-Lo stood at a strategic crossroads and so there was intense fighting there during the Normandy invasion of 1944. After a prolonged bombardment, very little of the town was left standing.

The most famous D-Day in history was June 6, 1944, the date of the Normandy landings in WWII. The term “D-Day” is used by the military to designate the day on which a combat operations are to be launched, especially when the actual date has yet to be determined. What D stands for seems to have been lost in the mists of time although the tradition is that D just stands for “Day”. In fact, the French have a similar term, “Jour J” (Day J), with a similar meaning. We also use H-Hour to denote the hour the attack is to commence.

83. Round fig. CIR
Circle (cir.)

88. Split-resistant lumber TEAK
Teak is a hardwood tree in the mint family, commonly found in monsoon forests of Asia.

102. Mystery writer Buchanan EDNA
Edna Buchanan is an author mainly of crime mystery novels. Buchanan also worked as a crime journalist for “The Miami Herald”.

110. Termite? WOOD CRAVER (from “woodcarver”)
Termites are insects that are somewhat unique in that they can digest cellulose (as can ruminants such as cattle). Because of this diet, they cause a lot of trouble for human populations by feeding on wood in man-made structures.

115. Hindu melody RAGA
Raga isn’t really a type of music, but has been described as the “tonal framework” in which Indian classical music is composed. Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous raga virtuoso (to us Westerners). Western rock music with a heavy Indian influence might be called raga rock.

116. American-born Jordanian queen NOOR
Queen Noor is the widow of King Hussein of Jordan. Queen Noor was born Lisa Halaby in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Najeeb Halaby. Her father was appointed by President Kennedy as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, and later became the CEO of Pan Am. Lisa Halaby met King Hussein in 1977, while working on the design of Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport. The airport was named after King Hussein’s third wife who had been killed that year in a helicopter crash. Halaby and the King were married the next year, in 1978.

Down
8. Smelter raw material ORE
Metals are found in ore in the form of oxides. In order to get pure metal from the ore, the ore is heated and the metal oxides within are reduced (i.e. the oxygen is removed) in the chemical process known as smelting. The oxygen is extracted by adding a source of carbon or carbon monoxide which uses up the excess oxygen atoms to make carbon dioxide, a waste product of smelting (and of course, a greenhouse gas).

11. LAX postings ARRS
Los Angeles International Airport is the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic, and the busiest here on the West Coast of the US. The airport was opened in 1930 as Mines Field and was renamed to Los Angeles Airport in 1941. On the airport property is the iconic white structure that resembles a flying saucer. This is called the Theme Building and I believe it is mainly used as a restaurant and observation deck for the public. The airport used to be identified by the letters “LA”, but when the aviation industry went to a three-letter standard for airport identification, this was changed to “LAX”. Apparently the “X” has no significant meaning.

12. Real cards RIOTS
A “card” or a “riot” is a very amusing person.

13. “Inside Politics” airer CNN
“Inside Politics” is a CNN news program that had an original run of over 20 years, hosted by Judy Woodruff from 1993 to 2005. The show was resurrected in 2014 with John King as host.

15. Start of a quaint business sign YE OLDE …
The word “olde” wasn’t actually used much earlier than the 1920s. “Olde” was introduced to give a quaint antique feel to brand names, shop names etc.

16. “Diana” singer ANKA
Canadian-born Paul Anka’s big hit was in 1957, the song entitled “Diana”. Anka was the subject of a much-lauded documentary film in 1962 called “Lonely Boy”.

17. Co. known for music compilations K-TEL
K-Tel was founded in 1962 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by one Philip Kives. K-Tel’s recipe for success was the sale of inexpensive goods with a simple sales pitch and mail-order distribution.

18. Former Cubs slugger SOSA
Sammy Sosa was firmly in the public eye in 1998 when he and Mark McGwire were vying to be the first to surpass the home run record held by Roger Maris. McGwire fell out of public favor due to stories of steroid abuse (stories which he later admitted were true) while Sosa fell out of favor when he was found to be using a corked bat in a 2003 game.

26. “Piano Man” pianist JOEL
“Piano Man” is a great 1973 song released by Billy Joel, his first ever single. The song reflects Joel’s own experiences working a piano-lounge singer in a Los Angeles bar called the Executive Room. The lyrics mention a “waitress practicing politics”, which is a reference to Elizabeth Weber who worked at the Executive Room and was Joel’s first wife.

28. “Avatar” race NA’VI
In the James Cameron epic “Avatar”, the “blue people” are the Na’vi, the indigenous species that lives on the lush moon called Pandora. The main Na’vi character featuring in the film is the female Neytiri. According to Cameron, Neytiri was inspired by the Raquel Welch character in the movie “Fantastic Voyage” and the comic book character Vampirella.

31. Room-size computer unveiled in 1946 ENIAC
The acronym ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (although many folks insist that the C was for “Computer”). ENIAC was the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was designed to calculate artillery firing tables, but it ended up being used early on to make calculations necessary for the development of the hydrogen bomb. Given its uses, it’s not surprising to hear that development of ENIAC was funded by the US Army during WWII.

34. Somewhat A TAD
Back in the 1800s “tad” was used to describe a young child, and this morphed into our usage of “small amount” in the early 1900s. The original use of “tad” for a child is very likely a shortened version of “tadpole”.

36. Bath quantity? LITRE
On the other side of the Atlantic we use the French spelling for measurements that originated in French, so “metre” for “meter” and “litre” for “liter”.

Bath is a beautiful city in South West England of which I have very fond memories. Bath is an old Roman spa town, and the city’s name comes from the Roman baths that have been excavated and restored.

38. Clog cousin SABOT
There is a story that disgruntled textile workers would kick their wooden shoes, called sabots, into the looms in order to disable them so that they didn’t have to work. This act of vandalism was named for the shoe, an act of “sabot-age”.

41. Rouen relative ONCLE
In French, an uncle (oncle) is married to an aunt (tante).

Rouen is the major city in Normandy in northern France. During the days of Norman Britain, Rouen was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties. Rouen was also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

52. High-end violin STRAD
Generations of the Stradivari family produced violins, the most famous of which were constructed by Antonio Stradivari.

53. Tandoori bread NAAN
Naan (also “nan”) bread is very popular in Indian restaurants, as well as in other West, Central and South Asian cuisines. Indian Naan is traditionally baked in a clay oven known as a tandoor.

56. She adopted Tigger KANGA
Kanga is a friend of A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh”, and is a kangaroo. She is the mother of Roo, who appears more frequently in the storyline. Kanga also brings Tigger into her home when he arrives in the forest, and then treats him as she would her own offspring.

61. Fat-shunning fellow SPRAT
Jack Sprat was a nickname given in the 16th century to people of small stature. Jack featured in a proverb of the day:
Jack will eat not fat, and Jull doth love no leane. Yet betwixt them both they lick the dishes cleane.
Over time, this mutated into a nursery rhyme that is still recited in England:
Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see, they licked the platter clean.

65. Hang-around-the-house wear MOCS
“Moc” is short for “moccasin” shoe.

66. Scintilla SHRED
A “scintilla” is a small amount. The term can also be used to describe a spark or a flash (as in “to scintillate”). The term came into English from Latin, in which language it means “spark, particle of fire, atom”.

67. Mower handle? DEERE
John Deere invented the first commercially successful steel plow in 1837. Prior to Deere’s invention, farmers used an iron or wooden plow that constantly had to be cleaned as rich soil stuck to its surfaces. The cast-steel plow was revolutionary as its smooth sides solved the problem of “stickiness”.

69. High-altitude home AERIE
An aerie is the nest of an eagle, and is also known as an “eyrie”.

71. First host of “America’s Got Talent” REGIS
Regis Philbin is an amazingly popular television personality. Philbin is in such high demand and has had such a long career, that he holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera (in excess of 16,000 hours).

NBC’s show “America’s Got Talent” is part of a global franchise based in the UK. The original show is called “Britain’s Got Talent”, with the whole franchise being created by Simon Cowell. The original host for the American show was Regis Philbin (for one season), followed by Jerry Springer (for seasons two and three). Nick Cannon took over hosting in 2009 (season four).

77. Tom Sawyer’s aunt POLLY
Mark Twain’s famous character Tom Sawyer had a few family members. He had an Aunt Polly, an Aunt Sally Phelps, a cousin Mary and half-brother Sid.

82. Sci-fi film classic STAR WARS
Despite the inference in the title, “Star Wars Episode I” was the fourth in the “Star Wars” series of movies. There was a 16-year hiatus between “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) and “The Phantom Menace” (1999).

85. Fixed EMENDED
The verb “to amend” means “to change for the better, put right, alter by adding”. The related verb “to emend” is used more rarely and mainly in reference to the editing of professional writing. Both terms are derived from the Latin “emendare” meaning “to remove fault”.

86. Zip, in Zaragoza NADA
Zaragoza is the capital city of the autonomous community of Aragon in Spain. The city’s name evolved from the name used by the ancient Romans: Caesaraugusta.

91. Rachael Ray sautéing initialism EVOO
Virgin olive oil is oil produced from olives with no chemical treatment involved in the production process at all. To be labelled “virgin”, the oil must have an acidity level of less than 2% and must be be judged to have “a good taste”. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) comes from virgin oil production, and is the portion with acidity levels of less than 0.8% acidity that is judged to have “superior taste”.

Rachael Ray is a celebrity chef and host of several shows on the Food Network television channel. Ray comes from a family that owned and managed a number of restaurants in the northeast of the country. One of Ray’s TV shows is “$40 a Day”, in which she demonstrates how to visit various cities in North America and Europe and eat three meals and a snack on a daily budget of just $40.

93. Transvaal settler BOER
“Boer” is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for “farmer”, a word that was used to describe the Dutch-speaking people who settled parts of South Africa during the 1700s.

In geographic terms, the Transvaal is an area in modern-day South Africa that lies north of the Vaal River. “Transvaal” translates as “across the Vaal”.

101. It’s used in rounds AMMO
The word “munitions” describes materials and equipment used in war. The term derives from the Latin “munitionem” meaning “fortification, defensive wall”. Back in the 17th century, French soldiers referred to such materials as “la munition”, a Middle French term. This was misheard as “l’ammunition”, and as a result we ended up importing the word “ammunition” (often shortened to “ammo”), a term that we now use mainly to describe the material fired from a weapon.

106. Component of some small Ferraris LEGO
You can buy a Lego kit for your own little Ferrari F40 supercar.

Lego is manufactured by Lego Group, a privately held company headquartered in Billund, Denmark. The company was founded by a carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1934 and the now-famous plastic interlocking blocks were introduced in 1949. The blocks were originally sold under the name “Automatic Binding Bricks” but I think “Lego” is easier to remember! The name “Lego” comes from the Danish term “leg godt” meaning “play well”.

107. Kegger venue FRAT
Keg party (kegger)

109. HUN neighbor, to the IOC CRO
The Republic of Croatia is a Balkan country. The Croats declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Hungary is a country in Central Europe that has become a popular tourist destination since the collapse of the Eastern Bloc in 1989.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894, and has its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. “SOS” group ABBA
5. Race site for more than 300 years ASCOT
10. Traffic stoppers? NARCS
15. Goes on and on YAKS
19. Tradition born under King Kamehameha II LUAU
20. The “It Girl” Bow CLARA
21. Youngest of three dramatic sisters IRINA
22. Inner: Pref. ENTO-
23. Gust that rattles the blinds? SLAT SHAKER (from “salt shaker”)
25. Humor among buddies? CRONY JOKES (from “corny jokes”)
27. No longer used OBSOLETE
28. Tweeting source NEST
29. “Très sexy!” OO LA LA!
30. Rich deposit LODE
31. Nouveau-Mexique, e.g. ETAT
33. Put away SAVED
35. Plumbing piece ELBOW
38. 1983 Indy 500 winner Tom SNEVA
39. Sprint, for one TELECOM
43. Colorado tributary GILA
44. Where mixologists learn the ropes? TRAINING BAR (from “training bra”)
48. Genetic info carrier RNA
49. Heaps A TON
50. “Rubáiyát” rhyme scheme AABA
51. Rare indication? RED
52. Peanuts, say SNACK
54. Gere title role DR T
55. Commonplace ballet technique? STOCK PLIE (from “stock pile”)
59. Steadfast STABLE
60. NYSE regulator SEC
61. Cancellation of a kind STET
62. “__ we all?” AREN’T
63. Tracks down TRACES
64. Made judgments on diamonds UMPED
66. Winner of 82 PGA Tour tournaments SNEAD
67. Pipe cleaner DRANO
68. Zen enlightenment SATORI
70. “That sounds bad!” OH GOD!
71. Chiefs coach Andy REID
72. Short lines at the register? UPC
75. Garfield, e.g. PET CAT
76. Holiday season store statistic? WRAP SPEED (from “warp speed”)
78. PX customer NCO
79. Start of an attorney’s conclusion I REST …
80. Masters gadget TEE
81. Kiddie-lit monster OGRE
82. D-Day city ST LO
83. Round fig. CIR
84. Buzzers that can’t be seen? HIDDEN FLIES (from “hidden files”)
88. Split-resistant lumber TEAK
89. “Whatever you say, honey” YES, DEAR
92. Sends MAILS
93. Cheap shots BARBS
94. Greenery-covered, as walls IVIED
96. Liable to snap EDGY
97. Heath-covered wasteland MOOR
99. Captivate ENAMOR
102. Mystery writer Buchanan EDNA
104. Solitary sort LONE WOLF
108. Ordinary dolt? COMMON CLOD (from “common cold”)
110. Termite? WOOD CRAVER (from “woodcarver”)
112. Generous offer ON ME
113. Backspace over ERASE
114. Did some whittling, say IDLED
115. Hindu melody RAGA
116. American-born Jordanian queen NOOR
117. Trifled (with) TOYED
118. Tips off TELLS
119. Keycard receiver SLOT

Down
1. “One more thing … ” ALSO …
2. Light source BULB
3. They’re heard in herds BAAS
4. Bank offering AUTO LOAN
5. Had a yearning ACHED
6. Political list SLATE
7. Encrust CAKE
8. Smelter raw material ORE
9. Carwash challenge TAR
10. Line at the beach? NICE TAN
11. LAX postings ARRS
12. Real cards RIOTS
13. “Inside Politics” airer CNN
14. Repeat SAY OVER
15. Start of a quaint business sign YE OLDE …
16. “Diana” singer ANKA
17. Co. known for music compilations K-TEL
18. Former Cubs slugger SOSA
24. Brake SLOW
26. “Piano Man” pianist JOEL
28. “Avatar” race NA’VI
31. Room-size computer unveiled in 1946 ENIAC
32. Jack’s value, sometimes TEN
34. Somewhat A TAD
35. “Holy moly!” EGADS!
36. Bath quantity? LITRE
37. Tools for removing reputation stains? BLOT CUTTERS (from “bolt cutters”)
38. Clog cousin SABOT
40. Complaint department? CRAB COUNTER (from “carb counter”)
41. Rouen relative ONCLE
42. Fabricates MAKES
44. Mom’s mealtime encouragement TASTE IT
45. Critiqued RATED
46. Drudgery GRIND
47. Veggie sometimes pickled BEET
52. High-end violin STRAD
53. Tandoori bread NAAN
56. She adopted Tigger KANGA
57. Hospital holding area, briefly PRE-OP
58. Principal roles LEADS
59. Big steps STRIDES
61. Fat-shunning fellow SPRAT
65. Hang-around-the-house wear MOCS
66. Scintilla SHRED
67. Mower handle? DEERE
68. Highly seasoned SPICY
69. High-altitude home AERIE
70. Was in the hole OWED
71. First host of “America’s Got Talent” REGIS
73. High-tech classroom PC LAB
74. Concocts, with “up” COOKS
77. Tom Sawyer’s aunt POLLY
80. Lose energy TIRE
82. Sci-fi film classic STAR WARS
84. Do cover HAIRNET
85. Fixed EMENDED
86. Zip, in Zaragoza NADA
87. Pudding fruit FIG
90. Romantic evening switch DIMMER
91. Rachael Ray sautéing initialism EVOO
93. Transvaal settler BOER
95. Hold up DELAY
97. Item sold in a kit MODEL
98. How music may be sold ON CDS
99. Business sch. subject ECON
100. Prohibition NO-NO
101. It’s used in rounds AMMO
103. Shot contents DOSE
104. Lounge around LOLL
105. Mirror shape OVAL
106. Component of some small Ferraris LEGO
107. Kegger venue FRAT
109. HUN neighbor, to the IOC CRO
110. It may be dry or sparkling WIT
111. Laudatory verse ODE

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